The governments of Indonesia and Slovakia have agreed that relations between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU) must improve.

"Indonesia and Slovakia agree on the importance of improving relations between ASEAN and the EU. This needs to be put forward during a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN and the EU in Bangkok in October 2016," Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno L.P. Marsudi said.

Minister Retno delivered the statement at a bilateral meeting with the Foreign Minister of Slovakia, Miroslav Lajk, on the sidelines of the 71st UN General Assembly in New York, United States, on September 19, 2016.

Both the foreign ministers discussed the developments in the two regions, including post Brexit (Britain exit) scenario within the EU and events in the Southeast Asian region.

Both ministers expressed similar views about the need for groupings, such as ASEAN and the European Union, to eliminate any gap between regional organizations and individual member countries.

Slovakia is currently serving as President of the European Union, a post it will hold until December 2016.

Slovakia′s leadership of the EU, the two foreign ministers believed, is having a positive impact on the economic and trade cooperation between Indonesia and Slovakia.

Slovakia is the 15th largest trading partner of Indonesia in the Central and Eastern European region. In 2015, the bilateral trade value between Indonesia and Slovakia reached US$57.69 million, with a surplus in favor of Indonesia amounting to US$28.13 million.

Between 2010 and 2015, there were 13 projects involving US$200 thousand worth of Slovakian investment in Indonesia.

In addition to the various development related issues in the regions, the two ministers also discussed the potential and the implementation of economic and trade cooperation.

Furthermore, the governments of Indonesia and Slovakia also discussed matters of interest to both countries, including Indonesias candidacy for a non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for 2019-2020 and Slovakias candidacy for 2028-2029.

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Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko received the visit of the American ambassador to Indonesia, Joseph R Donovan Jr, at his office in Jakarta on Monday, to discuss a number of bilateral cooperation, including joint military training.

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